How to Propagate Grape Plants

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How to Propagate Grape Plants

Overview

Grapes are one of the oldest species of domesticated plant in the world. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric man first cultivated wild grapes in a vineyard in approximately 6,000 B.C. in Asia. A single grapevine may produce up to 20 lbs. of fruit per year and may continue to produce well for over 40 years. The simplest method of propagating grapes is to take cuttings from healthy canes.

Step 1

Wait until grape vines are seasonally dormant before taking cuttings. Late fall or early spring is the best time to take cuttings.

Step 2

Step 3

Soak a cotton cloth with bleach and wipe the blades of your shears before taking a cutting and between each cut to prevent the spread of diseases through the blades.

Step 4

Examine your grape vine for a section that meets the requirements for a cutting. Cuttings should be three nodes long. Nodes are the places where a grape leaf, fruit stem or tendril would emerge from the plant.

Step 5

Make the upper cut of your cutting (the top of the new vine) approximately 3/4 of an inch to an inch above the topmost node. Hold your shears at a 45-degree angle to the vine to make this cut.

Step 6

Make your bottom cut (where the roots will sprout) straight across your rose cane just below the bottom node of the plant.

Step 7

Dip the bottom cut in rooting hormone.

Step 8

Fill a container with peat moss. Insert the vine into the peat moss to the point where the second node of the vine is at the soil line.

Step 9

Put the plant in a humid location and keep the peat moss damp while the vine sprouts roots.

Step 10

Move the vine outdoors once all danger of frost has passed. Continue to keep peat moss damp until the plant is ready to be placed in its permanent location.

Things You'll Need

Cutting shears

Bleach

Cotton cloth

Sharpener

Rooting powder

Peat moss

Container for planting

References

University of Minnesota: Grow Grapes for Home Use

Ohio State University: Growing Grapes in the Home Fruit Planting

Grapesweb: History of Grapes

Who Can Help

Winepress.US: Forums

Keywords:
Propagating vines, starting grapes, taking cuttings

About this Author

After 10 years experience in writing, Tracy S. Morris has countless articles and two novels to her credit. Her work has appeared in national magazines and newspapers, including "Ferrets" and "CatFancy," as well as the "Lexington Herald Leader" and "The Tulsa World," and several websites.